Box score (PDF) | GWUphotos.com
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.- Bre Blakley went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI to lead the Gardner-Webb Softball team (21-32, 7-17 BSC) to a 7-5 victory over Winthrop (14-41, 4-20 BSC) in the regular-season finale on Saturday night at the Brinkley Softball Stadium.
Prior to Saturday's game, Gardner-Webb seniors Bre Blakley, Jill Blank, Scarlett Harris, and Amanda Gomes were honored along with Lacy Adams and Dallas King.
With the victory, the Runnin' Bulldogs sweep the three-game set against the Eagles, as GWU defeated Winthrop 1-0 and 7-6 Friday night.
Blank also had a productive day at the plate, collecting two hits in two plate appearances and also drove in a run in her final home game for Gardner-Webb.
Mackenzie Thompson got the nod from Coach Cole and the junior threw the first three innings, before she was replaced by Ashley Wark. Thompson earned her 11th win of the season, allowing four hits and two earned runs and Wark scattered four hits over four innings to earn her third save of the season, her second in as many days.
Tara Loken went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the offensive attack for the Eagles, while her teammate Shayna Covington also had a nice game at the plate, collecting two hits and scored a run.
Winthrop came right out of the gates and took the lead in the top of the first inning. Morgan Lowers tripled to begin the game and scored on an RBI single by Covington, as Winthrop led 1-0 after the first inning of play.
Gardner-Webb went down in order in its first at-bats, but took the lead with two runs in the second. Kaylee Wacaster drew a one-out walk and stole second, and came around to score on an RBI single by Blakley.
Later in the second inning, after Chace Helms was hit in the ankle on a ball hit up the middle by Megan Champion, Rachel Cumiskey drew a bases loaded walk to put GWU ahead 2-1 after the second inning.
The offense continued in the third for Winthrop, as Covington scored on an RBI groundout by Blake Wallert to tie the game at two.
However, the tie game would be short lived, as GWU exploded for five runs in the third, as Champion and Callie Thornton drew bases loaded walks, and Blank, Cumiskey, and Megan Gibbons hit back-to-back RBI singles with the bases loaded.
Winthrop made the game close scoring two runs in the sixth and got an RBI single in the seventh from Loken, but Wark got Kiley Majette to pop out to seal the victory for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
The two sides will face each other in the first round of the Big South Tournament, which is slated to begin on Wednesday at Terry Field on the Campus of Winthrop University. Wednesday's game is scheduled for a 9:00 a.m. first pitch.
